The group is "hideous" or a great ally, depending on your point of view

Since the Newtown shooting, the NRA has come in for a lot of flak. Vice-President Wayne LaPierre was called a "gun nut" by the normally-right leaning New York Post and Obama claimed that the organization had "willfully lied" to defeat his background check bill.

All of that testifies that the NRA is influential, perhaps more so than ever before, and their membership rolls continue to increase. The group was instrumental in "getting the last few votes we needed to defeat Manchin-Toomey," according to Michael Hammond of Gun Owners of America, not to mention "responsible for how appallingly weak our gun laws are," says Ladd Everitt of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence.

Given their influence it's worth asking whether the NRA's sway is positive, and whether they represent the views of most American gun owners. The group is either "hideous" or "a good ally" to gun owners, depending on your point of view.

64% of Americans believe the NRA has been a positive influence on America, according to an online poll with over 600 responses conducted by Politix.

But liberals, even liberal gun owners, maintain that the NRA speaks for only a tiny minority. "The NRA has 4 million members, so it represents only a tiny sliver of Americans," says Dan Baum, a self-described liberal who loved guns and author of Gun Guys. "Only 4 percent of gun owners belong to the NRA." He added, "the NRA is hideous."

The group represents the gun industry and the far right, not average gun owners, says Ladd Everitt of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence. "When you look at what their revenue source is, an increasing source of their revenue is from the gun industry. As people buy guns the NRA prospers. They're not even trying to hide that anymore."

But the NRA gets less funding from the gun industry than from gun owners, points out Michael Hammond of Gun Owners of America. "As far as I know, they don't receive much money from the gun industry...I think most of their money comes from their membership. The left has created that narrative."

Even if they are mainly funded by members, they're not speaking for those members, claims Everitt. "74% of NRA members support a universal background check, so the NRA is not even speaking for their own members on some issues. The NRA leadership is far more radical than average gun owners and even average NRA members."

The group has moved to the extreme right, adds Everitt. "They have Glenn Beck as their featured speaker for 5th year in a row. They're not even trying to reach out to mainstream Americans."

Both pro-gun and gun control groups agree that the NRA has changed, but whether that's for the better depends on which side of the gun debate you fall.

The group has become a better defender of gun owners after being burned by compromising with Democrats, says Hammond of Gun Owners of America. "After Columbine NRA endorsed 90% of Clinton's gun legislation. After Virginia Tech they negotiated with Chuck Schumer...I think they learned from that, that for Chuck Schumer gun control is just a platform for more gun control."

Gun Owners of America would say that, says Ladd Everitt of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence. The NRA has been "pushed from their right flank by even more radical groups like Gun Owners of America." What that's meant has been "radicalization" so that the NRA no longer represents ordinary gun owners.

When did the NRA move right? Gun Owners of America date the change to an epiphany in 2007, when the NRA realized compromise with Democrats was disastrous. The CSGV's Everitt puts the change much earlier, in 1977.

"Prior to 1977 it was a much more moderate organization that was focused on the sporting aspect of shooting," says Everitt. "Then you had this big schism in 1977 when the organization was going to build a new headquarters at Colorado Springs. The hardliners won control of the organization. The rest is history. Since then they've been a far right organization, more of a shock troops for the right wing."

The NRA credits itself with teaching "freedom to future generations," Jeremy Greene, the NRA's director of marketing, told Politix in a statement. They've also had a positive role in promoting gun safety with programs like "Refuse to Be a Victim," which teaches adults self-defense, and the Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program which has taught gun safety to over 25 million kids.

Ladd Everett is a low life lying disgusting amoral piece of garbage! I've dealt with him personally for the past couple of years. If you are using him as a source this is a total BS article. You wouldn't believe the nasty vile things he has done to those that disagree with him. I've caught him calling for gun owners to be brutally murdered their children killed. Profane verbal attacks. His campaign against Starbucks was beyond disgusting. The NRA has defended the constitution against all that have attacked it. When you are fighting Ladd Everett you can't pull your punches.

HOUSTON (The Borowitz Report)—National Rifle Association C.E.O. Wayne LaPierre used his opening speech at the N.R.A.’s national convention today to highlight several challenges facing the organization, including what he called “the rising cost of Senators.” “Over the past few years, we’ve seen the price of purchasing a Senator surge astronomically,” he told the N.R.A. faithful.“Unless something is done to make Senators more affordable, the ability of a tiny lobbying group to overrule the wishes of ninety per cent of the American people will be in jeopardy.”The days are over, he said, when “you could buy a Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) for little more than pocket change.”“Now it costs thousands to purchase a marginally effective Senator like Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.),” he said.

I don't really think you can divorce gun owners from gun manufacturers. Gun owners and companies in the manufacture and sale of firearms both benefit from.making it easier for the law abiding to access and use firearms. I don't understand the insinuation that gun owners are somehow harmed when gun companies benefit from something.They keep this narrative.going that NRA.represents only gun manufacturers, but there is no support for that argument, considering the NRAs power lies.in their ability to sway voters. That is something they could not do if people did.not support their views. And when is the college that supposedly polled NRA members going to release info on how they received a list of NRA members, or at least verified that they are members?Regarding NRA revenue increasing when gun sales do, some companies (including retailers) donate a portion of the profit from.sellng a firearm to.the NRA. They are transparent about this and generally use.it in ads to promote their product or service. Its hard tosay the this means the NRA doesn't represent gun owners when such a deal successfully increases sales of firearms.

Outstanding post! I wouldn't support a gun company that DIDNT support the NRA. This attack on them is a testament to their effectiveness. Gun companies are unique in the corporate world. Their success depends on their customers retaining their second amendment rights. It's a "we are in this fight together" relationship. I want the gun companies to be successful. They build great products with great service. I want the NRA doing exactly what they are doing.

@GvtMule Smith&Wesson nearly went out of business in the 1990s because of their buddy buddy antigun attitude with Clinton and Brady and the backlash and boycotts from Americans because of it. They got new management after that and now it's more 2nd Amendment friendly, because they know now where their bread and butter is, the American people, not government contracts.

@Politic-n several years ago, remington sponsored a hunt for someone who had a duck hunting show on the outdoor channel (can't remember the guys name, I don't watch hunting shows). One.night at the lodge, he tweeted that the people.who wanted to own ARs were nothing more than terrorists, and we had no business owning them. The backlash was immediate.People began threatening to boycott remington. Remington.cancelled his hunt the same day and pulled all funding. The outdoor channel cancelled his show. He tried to apoligize but the damage was.done.(And the media largely demonized gun owners for.not supoorting someone who called them.terrorists) Something comesto mind about not biting the hand that feeds you...Don't know if he ever got his show back, don't really care. This is another demonstration, though, that gun companies (as well as outdoor companies) tend to make sure gun owners are happy. In return, we like gun and outdoor companies prosperous so they can keep offering better and better products. The country benefits from this cycle, not only in terms of self defense, but innovation for the equioment.of.military and law enforcement.Yet somehow we are supposed.to believe that gun owners and gun companies have conflicting desires. Boggles the mind.Like you said, the gun control advocates have painted us all into the same corner.

Because the leftist attack on guns has nothing to do with safety or criminality. It is about control and the removal of a constitutional amendment that many on the far left have been against since the 1960's. it's about control.

I also am a gun owner, and I do not believe that I am being persecuted in any way, andI am not a scapegoat. Laws are passed to help preclude people from doing bad stuff.Why have any laws? Good people are affected by any law, even though they are law abiding citizens. Let's eliminate the truth in lending law, the truth in advertising law, women's rightslaws, assault and battery laws, racial laws, worker compensation laws, etc., since almosteverybody does things legally and should not be included. This very necessary gun controlmovement is designed to help protect those who are law abiding citizens, and will help.Criminals will always attempt to flaunt our laws, no matter what. I remember theincident with the Menendez brothers, as they bought shotguns and murdered their parents.They bought shotguns because there was a 2 week wait to buy a pistol, and they wereskittish about the act that they were about to commit. Knowing them as well as I did, mybelief is that if they had time to think this horror through, especially the younger boy,

the outcome may have been different. The fact is that law abiding gun owners will be tweaked, but not destroyed, as the NRAwould have us believe. Laws are irritants to innocent, law abiding people, but are necessary. The killingsthat have permeated our society underwrite the urgency of stricter laws, even though theycannot possibly resolve the problem totally. Somehow I cannot help thinking that the gun manufacturers havea huge amount of cash invested in this battle, and I am disappointed.

@bobrob the only thing disappointing to me bobbo, is the fact you claim to be a gun owner and actually believe the horse hockey gun legislation is necessary when we already have laws on the books that criminals don't abide by.

You have no way of knowing a persons breaking point and if the Mendez dinks didn't use guns they would have found another way.

Again, I haven't broken any laws. I have purchased my firearms legally. I carry concealed legally. So why the persecution against law abiding citizens with more gun legislation that will not stop a criminal or terrorist?

I haven't seen the first bit of legislation outlawing pressure cookers. Can you tell me why bob? Body count not high enough or the incident not grizzly enough?

I swear you democrats and liberals are a bunch of overly emotional wankers who should be medicated and supervised at all times.

If the NRA, and they are not alone, they are joined by the National Shooting Sports, Foundation, Gun Owners of America, 2nd Amendment Foundation, Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership, and other 2nd Amendment Advocacy Organizations were spokespersons for the 'gun industry' you would find them fighting the United Nations in their Small Arms Treaty and other such international treaties. International Arms Trafficking is where the money really is. These organizations protect not only gun owners, but the Bill of Rights from hysteria-driven adjustments. You folks can talk all the smack you want to, but NO ONE knows better than those of us Americans, who came from governments that started down this road of restricting this, restricting that, registering this, registering that, where the road ultimately leads. We are Americans by choice. We fell in Love, with a capital L, with everything that the Bill of Rights and the Constitution promised us before we renounced allegiance to our Mother countries and pledged our loyalty, with our lives if necessary, to our adopted country, the United States of America, and to its wonderful and unique charter: The Constitution. Now, especially after a series of Supreme Court rulings which have put us on notice repeatedly that neither the government nor its political subdivisions such as police or sheriff's departments, have a duty to protect the individual, but only society as a whole, you will not find ANY OF US particularly eager to let you chip away at the Bill of Rights through legislation, or Executive Orders which, under the guise of "common sense gun laws", let a SINGLE INDIVIDUAL, from a profession that averages a rate of suicide and mental illness from 2 to 3 times greater than those of the general population, deprive an American Citizen of his Constitutional Right to Due Process. We will not let you bypass current law, through legalese and WEASEL CLAUSES, which may bar the Attorney General from establishing "centralized, consolidated" gun registries, but leave the door wide open to agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security to establish REGIONAL REGISTRIES, which maintain COMPARTMENTALIZED REGISTRIES of Class III Firearms Owners, Licensed to Carry Concealed Weapons licensees, and conventional firearms owners, in order to get around every single 'restriction' in the recently defeated "Universal Background Check" bill. Some of you may not appreciate HOW PRECIOUS the right to bear arms is, and how it PROTECTS THE OTHER RIGHTS ENUMERATED IN THE BILL OF RIGHTS, BUT THOSE OF US WHO CAME HERE OUT OF THE REACH OF TYRANNICAL GOVERNMENTS DO KNOW. We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Native Born Americans who also know, and together we will resist your every attempt to perfidiously, deceptively and manipulatively disarm The American People. Your "nobody wants your guns" is HORSE HOCKEY. That's the same exact thing tyrants were telling us back in the old country.NEVER AGAIN!

Dismayed by the lack of marksmanship shown by their troops, Union veterans Col. William C. Church and Gen. George Wingate formed the National Rifle Association in 1871. The primary goal of the association would be to "promote and encourage rifle shooting

Today, youth programs are still a cornerstone of the NRA, with more than one million youth participating in NRA shooting sports events and affiliated programs with groups such as 4-H, the Boy Scouts of America, the American Legion, U.S. Jaycees and others.

"Prior to 1977 it was a much more moderate organization that was focused on the sporting aspect of shooting," says Everitt."

If that were true, Mr. Everitt -- Could it be that the country has become more immoderate towards the folks, and is more about control and power that has sparked the NRA to action against a regime that has made a mockery of our Constitution and Rule of Law -- Hmmm?

I have to say, reading some of the comments on here, some folks are truly stunted in their thinking. How could they possibly believe the NRA favors felons and the violently-mentally ill having access to guns when the fact is when someone like that uses a firearm to commit a crime that enables anti-2nd Amendment attack drones to launch their attacks on gun owners and the NRA? Also, apart from having the largest membership, it is not the only organization dedicated to preserving the right to bear arms, nor the most militant one. Can you imagine what the media would do if under a Libertarian, Republican or Independent Presidency, organizations like the Brady Campaign, Mayors Against Illegal Firearms, etc. were demonized on a regular basis, and even had the IRS sic'd on them the way President Clinton did with the NRA? The fact remains that if those 8,900+ homicides a year which the CDC&P tells us are committed overwhelmingly in inner-cities by drug dealing gang members and are also overwhelmingly criminal on criminal homicides, relevant to its population and the millions of guns in private hands, the USA would have an even TINIER gun homicide rate than most of the world's nations. As it is now, even with the carnage in the inner cities, where apparently no one is submitting to background checks, registration, etc., the USA now has a LOWER homicide rate than 84 of the countries in the world. If we could just put a dome over Chicago and Disorderly Conduct City (D.C.) and launch them into the phantom zone, it would be even smaller. And don't forget, a considerable number of those non-inner city homicides are justifiable shootings by police and private citizens. We also probably have more highway deaths (because we have more cars) and more aircraft fatalities in small planes, because of higher air traffic, etc. than many other countries as well. It's a "numbers game".

Obama's claim that the organization had "willfully lied" to defeat his background check bill was slanderous. Ladd Everitt needs to look a bit deeper. He will find our gun laws are not weak. It is the enforcement of these laws that need to be beefed up. Statistics show that so far, under Obama, their has been 50% less prosecuted gun law violations than under Bush. Seems to me Obama and his cronies are pushing their agenda by letting these criminals run amok with gun crimes to scare the public. But even with all these gun crimes, these still rank lower than other violent crimes. So do your homework and don't let sensationalized news scare you to surrender your rights.

It is sad that the NRA even has to fight so hard to protect the constitution. Its even sadder that somehow the words Shall not be infringed has somehow been turned into a liberal mantra of Shall be Infringed and they want to destroy the right that actually protects and defends the other rights.

T"he group represents the gun industry and the far right, not average gun owners, says Ladd Everitt of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence. "When you look at what their revenue source is, an increasing source of their revenue is from the gun industry."Well, Ladd, old buddy, your democrat party gets the majority of it's funding from unions.

I signed up again as a member of the NRA just after Sandy Hook because I knew what was coming from the left. The NRA more represents the feelings of American gun owners and even some non-gun owners as well. And where are all the numbers saying so many gun owners want "universal background checks" coming from? I don't want that nor does any other gun owner I know. What probably happened was the left hired a left leaning pollster to generate some vague questions such as: "Do you think violent felons should be able to purchase a firearms?" then spin gun owners responses as a vote for being in favor of "universal background checks." The NRA is right, you can't give an inch anymore on gun ownership; the left will not stop until we are like England and Australia or maybe even worse, like New York State ;).

I went to work calling voters in my state to raise money to campaign our Senators not to vote for any gun control. I got support from democrats and republicans. We flooded our Democrat senator with letters E mails and calls. He did vote against the BG checks. It looks like we have to do it again. The president is putting tremendous pressure on him. But the people in my state don't want gun control

The NRA has been instrumental in making sure the second amendment is not infringed upon. The president saying that the NRA lied is quite ironic considering he has lied to cover his rear. A proven liar cannot point the finger at someone or a group and call them liars without it behind dismissed by many. A proven liar has no room to accuse others.

Americans and gun companies both go together like apple pie and ice cream. The NRA supports the 2nd Amendment and freedom. There is no conflict and the NRA is merely a representative of the people who fund and support it. The NRA is the voice of the people. Glad we have them, as should everyone. The GOA is great also. People should join both.